FAQs
How to I start an apprenticeship?
There is no central process to apply to an apprenticeship. The most simple answer to that question is to get a job in the trade. This isn’t always easy. Watch this video to learn more.
As an apprentice you earn while you learn. Will I get paid as an OYAP student?
No. There is no obligation for an employer to pay an OYAP student. Instead you get an amazing learning experience that counts as credits toward your Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
Do the hours that I work in my co-op placement count towards my apprenticeship?
Yes they do! It’s always a good idea to keep track of the hours you work and also ask your employer for a letter to verify on company letterhead.
How do I continue my apprenticeship after I graduate from high school?
You need to get hired by an employer and start working. You can then continue to learn while getting paid and complete any remaining levels of your apprenticeship. For more detailed information check out our What’s Next Guide in the resource section.
Myth: Skilled trade work isn’t important.
Reality: Skilled trade workers often tell us they are left with a strong sense of accomplishment; they are masters of their field – no different than a master of a specific academic field.
Their work touches almost every aspect of our daily lives: roads and sidewalks, schools, hospitals, bridges, offices, homes, restaurants, cars, water and electricity, caring for youth and the list goes on.
Myth: Skilled trade jobs are not stable.
Reality: In fact, careers in the skilled trades and technologies can be some of the most stable of any career choice you can make. Currently, those people with a skilled trade often have their pick of jobs because the skills shortage is so high. Unlike many other careers, a skilled trade is one of the most transferable in today’s global economy. However, economic fluctuations still affect the workforce.
Myth: Skilled trade jobs are low-paying.
Reality: Most people in the skilled trades and technologies earn average or better-than-average salaries. Some make more than $100,000 per year. In addition, while doing an apprenticeship you earn while you learn which almost always equates to zero student debt.
Myth vs. reality.
Myth: Skilled trades are for men.
Reality: This is a silly statement that just isn’t true. Women have been working in the skilled trades since World War II and have been killing it. It is true that there is a disproportionate amount of women working in the trades but this is changing. More and more women are entering the skilled trades everyday and finding satisfying careers.
Myth: Skilled trade jobs are dirty and noisy.
Reality: Working in the skilled trades does not necessarily mean working outdoors or getting your hands dirty. Many skilled tradespeople work with some of the most sophisticated computer equipment and technology available.
Myth: The trades are for people who are uneducated and don’t do well in school. People end up in skilled trades because they have no other options.
Reality: Certified Red Seal tradespeople train in the classroom and onsite for 4-5 years (same time frame as an undergraduate degree), and require a strong foundation of math, reading and critical thinking skills. The ability to think and react on your feet is mandatory. Intelligence and aptitude are absolutely mandatory for all skilled trades positions.
Myth: Skilled trade jobs are not challenging.
Reality: People in the skilled trades work with highly sophisticated equipment. Their training is leading-edge and they often work on new and exciting projects. People in the skilled trades need to be smart and able to adapt; these are jobs that require a great deal of commitment. The average apprenticeship takes as long as, or longer than, acquiring a university undergraduate degree. And apprentices get paid while they learn!
Myth: Skilled trades are a dead-end job.
Reality: There is tons of room for advancement within skilled trades careers. From supervisory roles, to management jobs, to owning your own business! A career in the trades is the farthest thing from dead end – so get ready and be excited!